Latin Name: Melaleuca Alternifolia
Description
The tea tree is indigenous to Australia. It has won a reputation as a 'cure-all' because of its powerful anti-fungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Due to its unique composition tea tree oil displays a number of remarkable properties making a very effective oil for a wide range of complaints. What makes tea tree outstanding in comparison to other remedies is that it is active against all three varieties of infectious organisms: bacteria, fungi and viruses. Independent microbiological testing has confirmed the effectiveness of tea tree oil in fighting infection.
Tea tree is a small tree or shrub (smallest of the tea tree family) with needle like leaves similar to cypress, with heads of sessile yellow or purplish flowers. Other varieties have been cultivated elsewhere, but Melaleuca alternifolia is not produced outside Australia. There are a large group of plants in Australia known collectively as "tea trees". The fact that the same name is commonly used to describe a very diverse and wide spread botanical group of plants has led to some confusion. Also, the essential oil derived from Melaleuca alternfolia has also been called Ti Tree oil, although Ti is the Maori name for the Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis).
Aboriginals used a number of tea trees in medicine for coughs and colds. The leaves were crushed and inhaled or soaked to make an infusion. Leaf washes were applied to pains, sores and burns.
The essential oil is extracted by steam or water distillation from leaves and twigs. A pale yellowy-green or water-white mobile liquid with a warm fresh, spicy-camphoraceous odour is extracted. Principal constituents include terpinene-4-01 (up to 30%), cineol, pinene, terpinenes, cymene, sesquiterpenes, and sespuiterpene alcohols.
Ailments / Situations Where Used
It is the first suggestion for athlete's foot and other fungal infections. It is often used in anti-acne remedies, as well as in diffuser to combat the flu and other viral infections. It is also useful for the treatment of abscesses, acne, blisters, burns, cold sores, dandruff, herpes, insect bites, oily skin, rashes (nappy rash), spots, warts, and wounds. Tea tree is beneficial for asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs, sinusitis, tuberculosis, whooping cough, thrush, vaginitis, cystitis, and pruitis. It is also beneficial for colds, fever, flu, and infectious illnesses such as chicken pox.
Tea tree oil's immuno-stimulant properties are of great value as a preventative remedy to help the body fight off all kinds of infection, especially if the body is already in a weakened condition brought on by either stress, illness or the use of antibiotics or other drugs which have lowered the body's natural resistance levels. It can be helpful to those who need to build up their strength before a surgical operation or for those suffering from chronic or long standing debilitating illness. Its possible application to AIDS is also currently being researched.
Source
Leaves and twigs.
Preparations
Tea tree oil is employed in soaps, toothpastes, deodorants, disinfectants, gargles, germicides and increasingly in aftershaves and spicy colognes.
To relieve congestion and fight infection, add 2 drops of tea tree oil to a bowl of steaming water. Cover head and inhale for 5-10 minutes.
For rheumatic pain, add 3-5 drops of tea tree oil to 30ml of base oil and massage in, twice daily.
As a disinfectant and for skin infections, add approximately 3-5 drops to the bath water.
To help strengthen the immune system, massage once weekly with a blend of 3-5 drops of tea tree oil to 30ml of base oil.
Contraindications / Precautions / Warnings
Non-toxic, non-irritant, possible sensitization in some individuals. The strength of Tea Tree oil should be respected and therefore large amounts should never be used neat(directly, at full strength) on the body or in particularly sensitive areas.
Ailment / Situation Listing
